Not our first time around the block

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After a successful (albeit rainy) premier in April, McMaster’s block party Light Up the Night is returning to campus again this year. Last year’s event featured musical performances, carnival food, a coffee house and board games.

MSU President Ehima Osazuwa is looking forward to this year’s iteration of the event. “It’ll be a similar layout to last year. Rides, speakers, multiple stages, food, fireworks, board games. As everyone knows I’m a big food person, so I’m open for us to having food,” he said.

Even with the cold, rainy weather that coincided with last year’s LUTN, between 6,000 and 7,000 students attended the party. Osazuwa said that with better weather and more events to participate in, that number could easily increase. The coffee house hosted by Bridges Café was an extremely popular event last year, and Osazuwa mentioned that a bigger event of that nature is in the works.

Osazuwa is eager to begin planning this year’s block party. “I’m excited because we get more time to plan out the events because last year they started planning in mid-February because Teddy [Saull] had to go to the assembly to get approval and that didn’t happen until February,” he said.

The details of this year’s LUTN have yet to be finalized. “We had our first meeting a few weeks ago and the major contributors were there. The alumni, Student Success Centre and the MSU all came together to start discussing the plan for the year,” Osazuwa said.

Along with a bigger event comes a bigger budget. The first Light Up the Night was a way to spend the MSU’s. This year, the MSU will contribute $40,000 to the event, with alumni and the SSC likely contributing similar amounts, though that has yet to be finalized. Osazuwa explained, “Campus Events has a budget and we increased that budget [by $40,000] for the sole purpose of Light Up the Night.” Technically, that money comes from students in the form of the $124 MSU fee all members pay.

Since students fund a large portion of LUTN, Osazuwa hopes to give students the opportunity to share their thoughts. He said, “One thing we’ve been looking into is having a mini steering committee with students who want to get involved with the planning process for this event because I think it’s important that we get alternatives on the table.” He added, “Because as much as I try to represent students, I don’t really know everything students would like or would want.” The student steering committee will be launched next term.

From a wider variety of events, to greater consideration regarding what students want to see, this year’s Light Up the Night is aiming to have something for everyone. “At the end of the day, the money comes from students, so we need to make sure that we spend the money in a responsible manner and cater to the needs of students,” said Osazuwa.

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